Global gaming statistics suggest a bright future for the gaming industry. The industry generates an impressive value of approximately $300 billion, with over 3 billion active video gamers worldwide. Driven by the rapid ascent of mobile gaming as well as the impacts of the pandemic, the sector continues to grow at a rapid pace. The gaming industry stands out not only for its significant size. It also stands out for the entertainment and cultural contributions it makes. Emerging fields such as game localization are also integral parts of this growth. The gaming industry’s revenue will surpass 233 billion dollars, expected by the end of 2023. This growth of the gaming industry is accompanied by a substantial increase in the number of gamers.
How Many Gamers are There in 2023?
During the days when the COVID-19 pandemic confined the world to their homes, nearly half of the global population found solace in gaming. The economic downturn and recession that affected various industries didn’t seem to touch the gaming sector. Instead, the gaming sector continued to grow and thrive. This growth is evident in the numbers, and experts in the field concur that this surge of interest is expected to translate into more substantial long-term revenue. However, the growth witnessed during the pandemic was exceptional, and replicating it appears challenging. Nevertheless, the gaming industry, with its diverse player base, provides indicators that such an achievement is attainable through the statistics it presents.
There are approximately 3.09 billion active video gamers worldwide according to the latest data. This figure increase one billion over in the past seven years. By the end of the 2023, this number will be 3.32 billion, according to estimates. Around 85 percent of all gaming revenues come from free- to-play games while 83 percent of video game deals happen in the digital field. The contribution of e-sports players is raising daily, and it’s estimated that the whole value of the video game market is $385 billion. By 2025, the PC gaming sector alone is awaited to contribute $46.7 billion to this profit.
Gamers By Region
Globally, on average, one in every five people, engages in gaming. In the global gaming market, Asia leads with 1.48 billion gamers, counting for 46 of the totals, which is double as many as all other regions united.
China, although it ventured into the gaming sector later than many, has managed to secure a commanding presence globally when it comes to both gaming revenue and the sheer volume of gamers. What’s particularly noteworthy is that China maintains its industry leadership despite grappling with gaming restrictions enforced by the government, distinguishing it from other countries. The United States comes in right behind. More gamers reside in Asia than in all of Europe, Latin America, or North America combined.
Furthermore, with penetration rates of 58%, Japan and the UK claim the highest rates of video game users. The United Kingdom is expected to become a leader in this area by 2027, with 70% of the population expected to play video games.
Gamer Demographics
Worldwide gaming statistics offer intriguing insights from a demographic perspective. The data shows a different reality from the stereotype that gamers are mainly kids under the age of eighteen.
The increasing average age of gamers reflects that gaming has seamlessly integrated into everyday life. A more intricate dissection of the data unveils that, in the United States, the typical age range for gamers falls within 35 to 44, with roughly 64% of individuals within this category indicating their regular involvement in gaming.
Gamer Subscriptions
According to the game statistics, interesting data on subscription to game services also meet us. At first glance, there are approximately 1.67 billion players globally who have subscribed to at least one gaming service. The likelihood of console gamers, numbering 2.29 billion, subscribing to any gaming service is quite high. This high probability is evident as 74% of console gamers are subscribers to a gaming service. In contrast, the rate of computer gamers subscribing to any gaming service stands at 66%.
Gamer Preferences
When we delve into gaming statistics, it becomes clear that the majority of players engage in gaming primarily for relaxation purposes. In the context of the United States, 66% of people report playing games to unwind. If we extrapolate this on a global scale, we can conclude that over 2 billion people worldwide play games for relaxation. The second most popular reason is playing games while waiting for someone or during a break.
Worldwide, 63% of gamers prefer casual games, which accounts for approximately nearly 2 billion players. Meanwhile, 39% of gamers opt for action games as their preferred genre.
General Statistics on Gaming
When considering general gaming statistics, the following points come to the forefront:
- As of 2023, there are 3.22 billion gamers worldwide, and it is predicted that this number will reach 3.32 billion by 2024.
- Gaming statistics indicate that during the pandemic, with a decrease in social activities, six out of every ten gamers tried to overcome feelings of isolation by playing online multiplayer games more frequently.
- The number of online gamers, which was 1 billion in 2023, is expected to surpass 1.3 billion by 2025.
- In 2022, globally, 81.9% of all internet users played video games.
- 26% of gamers spend 1 to 5 hours per week playing video games.
- Approximately 320 million gamers play for less than one hour per week, while in Germany, gamers dedicate approximately 7 hours per week to gaming.
- Today, 83% of video game sales occur in digital formats.
- PC continues to be one of the most popular platforms for game developers, with around 63% of developers creating games for PC.
Mobile Gaming Statistics
When we look at mobile gaming statistics, firstly, in 2020, we observe that the revenue generated from mobile games accounted for nearly half of the total market. Another striking data point is the approximately 14.1 billion mobile game downloads from app stores in the first quarter of 2021.
PC Gaming vs Console Gaming Statistics
Globally, around 680 million players prefer PC gaming. Basing our conclusions on this data, predictions point to the standalone revenue of the PC gaming sector reaching an approximate $47 billion by 2025. When we factor in the sales of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles, it becomes justifiable to claim that this estimate holds a high degree of realism.
Another means to validate these statistics is by considering the preferences of game developers, with 63% of them favoring PC game development. An additional point of confirmation lies in examining the all-time best-selling PC game, PUBG: Battlegrounds, which boasts global sales figures surpassing the 70 million marks.
Gaming Statistics Worldwide
The prominence of online gaming and the ongoing fresh and dynamic interest in the industry are clear indicators that this upward trend is far from temporary. If we look at interesting statistics around the world:
- Asia has the most players in the world.
- In the US, about 40 per cent of gamers make in-app purchases.
- The UK video game market exceeded £7.16 billion in 2022.
- 91% of Australian households own a video game device of some type.
